As the day was winding down Wednesday evening along the shores of Lake Erie, there was a group of people at the Dock’s Beach House Beachfront Pavilion who were kicking off their summer with drinks, food and “Lake Erie Love.”

Lake Erie Shores and Islands launched the Summer 2014 tourism campaign, called “Lake Erie Love,” with a beachfront party on the shores at Dock’s Beachhouse on Lakeshore Drive, complete with a performance by the songwriter from Mobile, Alabama, who sings the catchy theme “Lake Erie Love Song,” which has been playing on radio stations and in television commercials across the Midwest.

Nashville songwriter Walker Hayes entertained the crowd of about 60 residents from the area, singing a wide variety of original songs he has written during his 10 years working for a publishing company. Hayes made the crowd laugh throughout his set, telling stories of how each song came about and about how he got involved with the Lake Erie Shores and Islands tourism group.

“This has been such a sick opportunity,” Hayes said. “I’m so lucky to have been asked to come here. It’s been the best experience.”

Visitors picked up free buttons, vinyl stickers, drink cozies and tourism guide books, and signed up on a mailing list to receive Hayes’ song for free by email.

Hayes, his wife, Laney Beville Hayes, and their five children, along with his manager Christian, his wife and their two daughters, drove up from Nashville on Tuesday night to arrive and play a series of acoustic shows at various locations over the weekend.

“My kids have been here a day and they are hooked,” Hayes said. “They spent the day at an indoor waterpark, which I didn’t even know existed, and I’ve never seen anyone have so much fun. It’s awesome.”

Lake Erie Shores and Islands worked with the Columbus-based Ron Foth advertising agency to develop the campaign and filmed the music video last summer. Hayes came to Ohio for the first time near the end of the summer, recording the video in Sandusky, Saw Mill Creek and Put-in-Bay, saying the experience was nothing what he expected.

“I didn’t think of Ohio as looking like this,” Hayes said, who grew up in Mobile, Alabama, and moved to Nashville 10 years with his wife to pursue a career in music. “I’ve been blown away. This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to.”

“This campaign is catching on,” Director Larry Fletcher said to the crowd before introducing Hayes. “The video online has more than 10,000 views. This has been embraced by so many people and we are so excited to get this season underway.”

“He has this awesome energy,” Jill Bauer, public relations coordinator, said of Hayes.

“He embodies that laid-back, chill vibe that we have around here. He’s a perfect fit for this campaign.”

“This has become my favorite place in the world,” Hayes told the crowd before singing “Lake Erie Song.” “Y’all are the nicest people I’ve ever met. Thank you so much.”

“He did not disappoint. I thought the whole event was really cool,” said Gabe Defreitas, a junior at Port Clinton High School. He was visiting the party with his parents, Gabe Defreitas Sr., a humanities professor at Terra, and Nicole DeFreitas, who serves as a Port Clinton city councilwoman. Younger siblings Ava and Alex played in the sand in the sunshine as Hayes sang the theme song to the crowd.

“Get up here and dance guys. Let’s have the time of our lives,” Hayes told the crowd. Half a dozen people danced in the area in front of the stage. Many sang along, clapped their hands and took video of the performance.

Walker Hayes will be performing at the Dockside Cafe in Sandusky on Thursday evening and Hooligan’s Irish Pub in Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island over the holiday weekend.